Building unit



Jan. 7, 1936.- W L -GOELTZ HAL* 2,026,886

BUILDING UNIT Filed April l, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mmm MHP"

Jan. 7, l936 W` GOELTZ ET AL I 2,926,886

BUILDING UNIT Filed Apri; 1, 1952 2 sheets-sheet 2 z3 o, 24 7 giga @3% V25 www" ""1 www Patented Jan- 7, 1.936

' UNITED STATES BUILDING UNIT William L. Goeltz, Caldwell, N. J., and Milton Brodsky, Bronx, N. Y.; said Goeltz assignor to Vsaid Brodsky Application April 1, 1932, Serial No. 602,414

6 Claims. (Cl. 18S- 34) The present invention relates to building structures and more especially to an integral building unit comprising a closure member such as a door or window structure.

The structure comprises a metallic unit including the door or window with the frame, pockets, saddles, hardware, guides, etc., all assembled as a unit in a shop and adapted to be shipped to the place of erection and erected as a unit.

The unit is herewith illustrated as a sliding door structure, wherein the door trim, frame, pockets, saddle, and guides are metal parts united at the factory, preferably by welding, in such manner that the entire unit comprises a rigid integral structure adapted to be set in place without requiring aligning or interlittingv of the operating parts of the door.

It is recognized that the invention may be embodied in structures other than those herewith specifically disclosed, and, therefore, the specific disclosure is to be understood as illustrative and not inthe limiting sense.

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a single sliding door unit.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

F Fig, 3 is a vertical cross-section on line 3-3 of Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section on line 4 4 of Fig. V1.

Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating parts in section and Ycomprising a part of the upper end portion of the pocket of the door.

g Fig. 6 is a modification of the trim on the closure side of the door.

Fig. 'IV is a modification of the trim on the pocketside of the door.

Fig. 8 illustrates the invention as applied to a double door.

VReferring to the drawings and more especially to Figs. 1 to 4, the door I is set within a frame comprising a trim.formed of front facing vertical members2 and 4 which are connected by a top member V5. These facing members are welded together to form an integral unit and are preferably provided on their outer edges with a lath line flanget forming a re-entrant angle l. The back trim comprises vertical members 8 and 9 connected by a top member I5 to form an integral frame, andthese members likewise are provided with a lath line ilange 6 and a re-entrant angle V1. lThe inner sides of the front trim members 2, 4, and 5 are provided with a U-shaped internally bent flange I! and the back trim members 8,'9, andv IU are provided with a wider U-shaped ange I2. A vertical spacer plate I 4 is provided at its edges with pockets I 5 and I6 to receive the flanges II and I2 on the vertical trim members 2 and 8. Preferably, a supporting edge Il is provided on the member I4 adjacent the pocket 5- IG. This supporting edge II fills the base of the wide U-shaped pocket or flange on the member 8. The vertical spacer plate I is welded to the vertical trim members 2 and 8 preferably through the pockets where the iianges of these parts interl0' lock. The spacer plate I4 determines the width between the faces of the vertical trim members 2 and 8 to t the thickness of the door I.

A top spacer plate I8, of the same width as the vertical spacer plate I4, is provided with edge l5 pockets which interlock in the same way with the ilanges II and I2 of the top trim members 5 and I0 and is welded at the overlapping to these members in such manner as to form an integral unit.

The pocket for the door comprises a front side plate I9 and a back side plate 20. These plates are preferably pro-vided with stifiening ribs 2| which extend the full length of the plates. The upper edges of these side plates are flanged'outwardly at 22 and 24 and are enclosed in pockets on the edges of the top supporting plate I8 which is of sufcient length to -eXtend entirely over the top of the door trim and the side plates I9 and 28. The flanges 22 and 24 on the side plates I9 and 28 are welded to the top plate I8 where these anges interlock with the pocket members of the top plate. At suitable intervals, the pockets in the top plate I8 are cut and bent outwardly to form attaching lugs 25 whereby the door pocket may be attached to the framework of a building by nailing through openings 26 in the lugs if the building is of wood construction or by riveting or welding the attaching lugs 26 to metal units of a metal building construction. The inner end of the side plate I9 is provided with a pocket 21 and the inner end of the side plate 20 is provided with a pocket 2B. The pocket 2l engages the edge of the U-shaped flange ll on the front trim member 4, and the pocket 28 engages the edge of the U-shaped flange I2 on the trim member 9. These parts are welded together where the flanges and pockets overlap. The back edges of the plates I9 and 20 are provided with flanges 29 and 30. These flanges are received in pockets 3| and 32 in the back spacer plate 34, and the flanges and pocket members are again welded together to form an integral unit. The edges of the back spacer plate 34 are also cut at intervals and bent outwardly to form attaching lugs 35, which are 55 identical with the attaching lugs 25. The door I is provided with anti-friction wheels 36 at the top, and with anti-friction wheels 31 in the bottom thereof. A metal plate comprises a saddle 38 which is provided with a groove 39 in which the wheels 31 roll. The lower ends of the trim members 2, 4, 8, and 9 are welded to the saddle. Also, the lower ends of the vertical spacer plates I 4 and 34 are likewise welded to this saddle. The side plates I 9 and 20 of the pocket walls are flanged at 40 and 4I and these flanges are welded to the Y saddle.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that all of the elements making up the trim and thepocket for a sliding closure member are weldedtogether to comprise one integral which may be fabricated at a shop and set in place in a building.

In order to facilitate assembly'and removal of the door I with the frame unit, the front triml members 2, 5, and 8 form an opening of slightly larger dimensions than those of the door, so that the door may be placed edgewise through this opening into position with the wheels 31 in the groove 39. The door I is held inplace by removal stop strips 42, 44, and whichk are secured to the respective trim members 2, 5, and 8 by bolts or screws 46, so that the final dimensions inside ofthe stop strips 42, 44, and 45 are less than the dimensions of the door and the door-therefore is now removably locked within the unit.

Where the unit is adapted to-be set in masonry such as hollow tile or brick construction or the like, suitable removable Z anchors 41 may be provided and U-shaped loops 46 may be welded to the verticalspacer plates I4 and 34 to receive these removable Z-shaped anchors.

Fig. 6 illustrates a slight modification of thev trim in that the closure side trim and the top may comprise anintegralshape49 made. of 4one single piece of metal.

Fig '7 illustrates aslight modification of the joint between the trim onfthe pocket side of the door and the side plates of'the pocket in which the joints between the trim andthe side plates are'lapped joints 50and 5I which'are welded together to form an integral unit with the pocket for the door.

Fig. 8 illustrates a double sliding'door comprising sections 52 and 54 in which each section is adapted to open in opposite directions. Door pockets 55and 56 are provided for these doors of the same general structure-as the door pocket specifically described .relativeV to the single door shown in Fig. 1. In the double door construction, the topspacer plate extends across the door trim and both door pockets 55`and55. With this exception, the construction isthe same as above described relative to the single door.

In view of the fact that the lath line flange 6 on the trim, the tops of the'stiifening ribs ZI and the edgesof the top spacer plate I8 and the back spacer plate 34 all lie in substantially a single plane, these members become convenient supporting meansto which metallic lath 51 (Fig. l) may be welded.

The dotted lines 58 in Fig. 2 illustrate the plaster line over the metallic lath 51.

From the foregoing, it will appear that the unit comprising this invention may be fabricated with the metallic lath attached thereto in a shop and shipped to the place of erection, whereby the entire'unit may be set in place without necessity of fitting the several elements of the unit together. This effects great economy both in manufacture and in setting theV units. It will also be observed that the door pocket is an entirely enclosed space so that the danger of extraneous material dropping into the pocket during erection of the unit is avoided, and, furthermore, since the pocket is sealed, it avoids the collection of dust and dirt usually attendant with open pockets heretofore common in the art.

Welding is referred to as the preferred means of attaching the elements of the unit together. Spot welding, arc welding or any other form of welding may be used. While Welding is the preferred means, riveting or any other methods of fastening the metal parts together may be used without departing from the invention.

While metal has been referred to as the preferred buildingv construction, it is to be understood that wood, composition board or any other satisfactory material may be used wherever it is adaptable for the purposes here intended.

What we claim isz- 1. As a pre-fabricated building unit, a` sliding door metal construction comprising a door, trim members around an opening adapted to be closed by said door, a vertical spacer plate between the trim members adjacent the closure side of said door, a pair of pocket members, re-enforcing members on said pocket members, a top plate between the upper portion o1' the door trim and extending over said pocket members and forming the top closure therefor, a vertical back plate between the back edges of said pocket side members and forming a closure therefor, a saddle extending beneath said trim and said pocket side members and forming the bottom seal' of the fabricated unit, metal lath secured to thereenforcing members, the top plate, the back plate and the saddle, and anchoring means to attach the unitto a building frame work.

2. As a pre-fabricated building unit, a sliding door metal construction comprising a door, trim members around an opening adapted tovbe closed by said door, a vertical spacer plate between the trim members adjacent the closure side o1'v said door, a pair of pocket members, re-enforcing members on said pocket members, a top plate between the upper portion of the door trimv and extending over said pocket members and forming the top closure therefor, a vertical back' plate between` the yback edges of said pocket side'members andA forming a closure therefor, a saddle extendingbeneath said trim and said pocket'side members and forming the bottom seal of the fabricated unit.

3'. A prefabricated building unit comprising a sliding door, trim members around the door opening, a vertical spacer plate adjacent one side ofV the door opening and secured to saidtrim members, a top plate extending the full Width of said unit, a back vertical spacer plate comprising the back wall of a pocket, and a saddle comprising a trackway for said door and extending the full width of said unit between said spacer plates; said door, said spacer plates, said top plate, and said saddle being permanently secured together with the sliding door mounted therein to comprise a fabricated unit.

4. A prefabricated building unit for a sliding door comprising, end vertical members for said unit, a saddle comprising a trackway for said door and extending the full width of said unit between said end vertical members, a top plate extending the full width of said unit, and door trim around thedoor opening; said vertical members, said saddle, said top plate, and said. door trim, being permanently secured together to comv prise a fabricated unit.

5. A prefabricated building unit for a sliding door comprising, end Vertical members for said unit, a saddle comprising a trackway for said door and extending between said end vertical members, a top plate extending the full width of said unit, door trim around the door opening; a pair of side plates between said saddle and top plate to form a sealed pocket on one side of the door opening; said vertical members, said saddle, said top plate, said door trim, and said side plates being permanently secured tov comprise a fabricated unit.

6. A prefabricated building unit comprising, a.

sliding door, metallic trim around the door opening, a saddle extending across said unit for the full width thereof and permanently welded to said metallic trim and comprising a trackway for the sliding door, guides for the upper edge of the door, and removable stop strips mounted upon said trim whereby said door may be removed after the unit is set in place, said saddle and said trim being permanently secured together to comprise a substantially rectangular form fabricated unit with all parts aligned and adapted to be set in place in a building as a completed entity.

WILLIAM L. GOELTZ. MILTON BRODSKY. 

